By Dr. Salman Ahmed Shaikh
Abstract
According to SDPI estimates, poverty rate in Pakistan
has increased sharply, especially in rural areas. Some 58.7 million Pakistanis
are classified as poor while Microfinance beneficiaries are only 2.8 million
people. The progress and penetration of Islamic Microfinance is even more
insignificant in relation to the enormous underdevelopment challenges faced by
Pakistan. In this paper, we document the progress of Islamic Microfinance in
Pakistan and build the case of its importance for Pakistan and for the Islamic
finance industry. We also document the various business models and
institutional structures used in practice for offering Islamic Microfinance
products and services. We also document the regulatory environment under which
Islamic Microfinance products can be offered in Pakistan. We explain the two
basic models of Islamic Microfinance using a mathematical representation. The
paper highlights the reasons why Islamic Microfinance in particular and
Microfinance in general is not growing as rapidly as it should have given the
level of underdevelopment and poverty in the country. Lastly, we propose how
standardized screening and complimentary operations of NGOs and commercial
IMFIs together with fiscal and monetary support can make Islamic Microfinance
sustainable and commercially viable.
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